A Vignette of Mending Hearts
by desertredwolf
Summary: Severus agrees with his wife that they could get a pet. He never thought that a little puppy would work her way into their hearts so quickly or completely. It's the beginning of a wonderful new chapter in their lives. [EWE] [Warning: This story deals with the aftereffects of animal abuse. No one in the story abuses animals; they care for a previously abused dog.] /QL, S6R4, Puddles


**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. All rights go to respective owners.**

* * *

 **Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition / Season Six, Round Four**

 **Team:** Puddlemere United

 **Position:** Captain

 **Prompt:** Write about someone known to be stoic/cold/aloof using baby-talk with a pet. (You can also write a character who isn't from the usual set of poker-faced ones we know as long as they're shown to be stoic/cold/aloof within the story.)

 **Word Count (not including title and author's notes):** 1679 (Google Docs)

 **Betaed by:** **TartCat207, Marvelgeek42. Thank you!**

* * *

 **Warning: This story deals with the aftereffects of animal abuse. None of the characters in the story abuse animals; they care for a dog that was abused. It has a happy ending, I promise.**

* * *

 **A Vignette of Mending Hearts**

 _In Hogsmeade Village, there is a street—although, most consider it more of a path than a structured road—called Meadow Lane. As it is unplottable, it is not easy to find. In fact, without specific directions, no one would ever discover it. However, if a witch or wizard were lucky enough to have access to it, they would find that it leads out of the village and into the surrounding hills._

 _Wildflowers and sweet-smelling lavender line the path. Across the wooden bridge that spans an icy beck that flows down from the far-off hills and mountains, the trail ends at cozy cottage._

 _Most days, there is smoke streaming out of the chimney, twisting and twirling in the autumn breeze. Other days, especially during the evening hours, candles and lanterns illuminate the windows. Surprisingly, although perhaps less so knowing the couple that lives there, there is sometimes also laughter, echoing throughout the house._

 _Only a few close friends and family have access to the cottage at the end of Meadow Lane, for Severus and Hermione Snape are very private._

.oOo.

Severus sat in the kitchen, enjoying a cup of coffee and the latest article in the newsletter, _Advancements in Potion Brewing_. Hermione sat on the opposite end of the table. Everything about the situation was domestic and familiar, just the way he liked it. During the war, he never imagined he could be— Well, _happy_ was a strong word.

Content. Yes, that was more appropriate. He was _content_.

He was married—never thought that would happen—to a lovely, if not occasionally infuriating, witch. No one approved, except for her parents, Harry, and Minerva. Harry—and he was _'Harry'_ since Severus had made the effort to get to know him after the war—approving their relationship was not so much a surprise. After he got to know the younger wizard, Severus suspected that he was a romantic at heart like Minerva.

After Hermione had left Hogwarts, there had been a few months of uncertainty. Severus had thought she had been giving him signals that she wanted more, but why would she? He was old—much older than her—and he had never been kind to her. It had taken Minerva kicking his butt (and literally locking him in an office with Hermione) for him to confront her—and his own growing feelings. It had taken time, but he had eventually started courting her. That happened for two years before he proposed. Following that had been another two years of marriage, and Severus was content.

"—Hello? Severus?"

He felt a foot nudge his shin underneath the table. Looking up, he met Hermione's amused gaze.

"I was trying to get your attention for the last few minutes," she said in explanation.

"My dear, you always have my attention," he replied. "Unless, of course, I am—"

"Brewing," Hermione finished the statement, before grinning cheekily. "Both with potions and your thoughts."

Severus smirked and took another sip of coffee.

"Quite," he replied. "Now, what were you asking me?"

"I wondered what you thought about getting a pet?" Hermione asked. She was suddenly very interested in her own coffee. Severus felt his lip curl in distaste.

"Don't you already have one?" he said. "That mangy cat, who you claim loves you?"

"You know Crookshanks lives with my parents," she responded as if she was talking to a petulant child. It was almost the same tone he took when explaining instructions to his more exasperating students. "They find him calming, after their ordeal."

"You don't still blame yourself for that, do you?" he asked in a softer than usual tone. "To save the ones you loved, you did what you had to do. It was war."

Hermione sniffled, and Severus looked at her in shock. Surely, she knew that no one blamed her? Not him, and certainly not her parents.

Severus reached across the table and held her hand. He was distinctly uncomfortable; even after being with Hermione for years, he still wasn't great at giving emotional comfort. For her, he tried his best though—he always would.

"Could we maybe start with fish?"

She let out a strangled laugh, that was as much amusement as it was a sob. He held her hand tighter.

"Is that what you want?" she said. He shook his head, although he doubted she could see through her tears.

"I want you to be happy," he replied. "Always. So if that means a pet, then it means a pet. We will do this together."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

.oOo.

Severus looked at the tiny pile of fur in Hermione's arms and wondered, not for the first time, why he had agreed to this ridiculous idea. Pets were like children, and he was not ready for either.

"No."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes," she replied, her voice steady and calm. "She needs a good home. We agreed, Severus, that we would get a pet—together. She's going to be ours."

He could feel his eye twitch in exasperation. The bundle of fur shifted slightly in Hermione's arms, and it whimpered in pain. The sound was so small and pitiful that Severus felt his heart clench. That was an emotion that he hadn't felt for a long time. He didn't want to think about it too much at the moment.

"What is wrong with it?" he asked stiffly.

"Are you agreeing that we can keep her?" Hermione shot back, a smirk on her face. Severus scowled.

"Are you going to answer my question?"

"She has liver damage and is blind in one eye," she replied quickly. It was as if she was trying to get her explanation out before he could inevitably say no. "Her right foreleg and tail are also broken. Oh, and she has fleas."

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose and counted to ten, and then did it again. Suddenly, he felt a weight—much lighter than he was expecting—pressed into his arms. He opened his eyes and looked down.

The puppy was in bad shape, and to Severus inexperienced eyes, it was lucky to be alive. It looked up at him and whimpered, and his heart clenched again. He finally recognized the feelings erupting in his chest—sadness, pity, anger—but above all, regret. He didn't feel that because of something he did. It was because he was only now able to help this innocent creature. It didn't deserve this cruelty.

Suddenly, Severus knew that he would do whatever he could for this dog. Not just for Hermione's sake, but also for the puppy.

"I will see what we can do for it— _her_ ," he said, correcting himself. "Is she on any pain medicine or potion right now?"

Hermione nodded. "Muggle pain medicine for canines," she replied. "But it should be wearing off soon."

"Then I best start brewing."

.oOo.

Severus stared at the puppy, who still didn't have a name. She was whining in pain but refused the potion. Each time he tried to pour the liquid down her throat, she snarled and snapped at him.

They were at a stalemate.

"Listen, if you do not take this medicine, you will not get better," he said through gritted teeth. "And if you do not get better, the witch upstairs will have my head—or worse, she will make me sleep on the couch. She has become quite attached to you already. I can tell."

The puppy cowered in the basket that Hermione had provided. Severus took a deep breath and stepped back. Maybe he was approaching this wrong.

Suddenly, he had an idea. Summoning a jar of peanut butter from the kitchen upstairs, he mixed a little bit of the potion with the peanut butter. Holding out a peanut butter-and-potion coated finger, he crouched low. Turning his gaze away from the puppy, just so that she was in his peripheral, he spoke in low, calming tones.

"Hey, sweetie," he said, stumbling over the pet name slightly. "Hey, girl. Do you want some peanut butter? Yes, you do. Ah— There's a good girl! Good job, baby girl. Do you want some more?"

He mixed more of the peanut butter and potion and offered it to the dog. She quite happily licked the mixture. Severus continued talking to her.

"Those monsters that owned you will never lay their hands on you again," he said. His throat clenched— _no, those were not tears in his eyes_ —and he continued speaking. "Isn't that right, girl? No, they won't! You'll get better soon, and you will stay with us— _always_. Isn't that right, sweetheart?"

"Sweetheart? Should I be worried?"

Severus jumped and turned around. He had been so involved with coaxing the puppy to eat the potion, that he hadn't heard his wife walk downstairs.

"Jealous of a dog?" Severus teased. "Might I remind you that you brought her home."

Hermione smiled and handed him fresh blankets. "Does she have a name yet?" she asked. He looked at her in surprise.

"I thought you would want to name her," he said honestly.

They looked down at the puppy, who weakly wagged her tail and panted happily. Hermione laughed.

"I think you made a friend, darling," she said. Standing on her toes, she gave him a chaste peck on the cheek. "You should name her."

Severus looked down at the puppy. He only had to think about it for a second.

"Halo," he said. "Because she's our little angel."

.oOo.

 _The cottage at the end of Meadow Lane changed on that day. Instead of laughter and the voices of the couple that lived there, there was a new addition: the excited yips and barks of a puppy._

 _Visitors walking to the front door would occasionally see an enthusiastic puppy running around the front yard, and Severus Snape chasing her. Hermione would always stand at the door, laughing at their antics. She would usher the visitors into their home, that became all the more perfect with their latest addition._

 _A gentle hand on her lower abdomen and a wink told them that the puppy wouldn't be the last to join their little family, though._

 _All was well._


End file.
